Cookies on the NHS website
We've put some small files called cookies on your device to make our site work.
We'd also like to use analytics cookies. These send information about how our site is used to services called Adobe Analytics, Hotjar and Google Analytics. We use this information to improve our site.
Let us know if this is OK. We'll use a cookie to save your choice. You can read more about our cookies before you choose.
I'm OK with analytics cookies Do not use analytics cookies
Search the NHS website
Search
Health A-Z
Live Well
Mental health
Care and support
Pregnancy
Browse
More
Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Get the latest advice about COVID-19
Home Health A to Z
Lipoma
Lipomas are soft, fatty lumps that grow under your skin. They're harmless and do not usually need any treatment.
Check if you have a lipoma
Lipomas are common.
They:
feel soft and squishy
can be anything from the size of a pea to a few centimetres across
may move slightly under your skin if you press them
are not usually painful
grow slowly
Lipomas usually appear on your shoulders, chest, arms, back, bottom or thighs.
Credit:
You can also get a lipoma in other places, such as your forehead.
Credit:
Non-urgent advice:
See a GP if:
you get a lump anywhere on your body
the lump is painful, red or hot
the lump is hard and does not move
A GP will usually be able to tell if the lump is a lipoma.
If there's any doubt, they may refer you for a scan to check it.
In rare cases, lumps under your skin can be a sign of something more serious.
Information:
Coronavirus (COVID-19) update: how to contact a GP
It's still important to get help from a GP if you need it. To contact your GP surgery:
visit their website
use the NHS App
call them
Find out about using the NHS during COVID-19
Getting a lipoma removed
Lipomas are harmless. They're not usually treated on the NHS.
You can pay to have a lipoma removed at a private clinic, but it may be expensive.
A GP can give you advice about where to get treatment.
Find a plastic surgeon
Page last reviewed: 25 August 2020
Next review due: 25 August 2023
Support links
Home
Health A to Z
Live Well
Mental health
Care and support
Pregnancy
NHS services
Coronavirus (COVID-19)
NHS App
Find my NHS number
Your health records
About the NHS
Healthcare abroad
Contact us
Other NHS websites
Profile editor login
About us
Accessibility statement
Our policies
Cookies
© Crown copyright